Colorado Law Enforcement Protests Legal Weed

11 sheriffs have gathered together to file a complaint against John Hickenlooper, Colorado’s governor. The complaint has been issued in an attempt to stop recreational marijuana sales in the state, and it challenges the 64th amendment under the U.S constitution.

The complaint states that the legalisation law places an unfair burden on law enforcement officials, because they need to take care of the marijuana overflow that is crossing over into illegal areas. Sheriff Justin Smith stated that law enforcement agencies are overwhelmed with illegal activity, and that the legalisation in one area is causing problems in neighbouring states.

In Colorado, law enforcement officers are stuck between abiding by the law of the state and abiding by the federal law. Ever since the 64th amendment was brought into place, there has been some arguments over the two laws, which now contradict each other. Marijuana sales have totalled $520 million in the last year, and a lot of this was to buyers who are out of the state, according to the complaint.

Gov. Hickenlooper and John Suthers have tried to defend the amendment, however law enforcement officers have tried to get a permanent injunction against the governor that would put the kaybosh on Amendment 64. If successful, it would prevent marijuana from being sold in the state for recreational use.

Hickenlooper has been named as the sole defendant in the case, and no new information has surfaced so far. John Commisso and Paul Kelly filed the complaint, along with Ashley Paige Fetyko and Peter Munger.